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Where are you coming from? - Hoboken - (Originally Ireland)
Why are you moving? - Looking to buy awith girlfriend
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? NYC, Downtown
Will you buy or rent? Buy
What is your budget ? 400k
What kind of place are you looking for ? 2 BR
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? No
Do you need/want good public schools?
Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in - Safe, good variety of shops / bars
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc)
List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)- First and foremost is safety, I am moving from Hoboken and would like some advice on the safety of Union City and which areas to avoid. Is it better to stay closer to the Hoboken / Weehawken Boarder?
On safety: You shouldn't have any problems during the day, regardless of where in Union City you choose to move. Many people out and about on all streets.
Night time might not "feel" as safe. This can probably be attributed to the fact that the city goes from bustling at 7PM to dead by 10PM. It's eerie because the change is radical, but not unsafe. However, it is a city, so always use your best judgement. From what I've experienced on Park Ave, Bergenline, and JFK West (the 3 major streets in Union City), there is a very fairly heavy police presence. So even though getting off of the light rail after midnight not be ideal, you will see police patrols and sometimes even foot patrols - which is great.
If you're looking for condos, there are a few high rise condominiums in the area. Pleasant Avenue has 2 main buildings. The Harbor View is the smaller one at the bottom of the hill. Mixed-population building; some wealthy people who work in the city and some day laborers. The Thread is above it. More expensive, but comes with some balcony units, doorman, garage (though parking doesn't really tend to be a problem in the area as Park Ave has like 100 spots going towards Hoboken). It seems like a nicer building from the outside. The people who go in and out look a bit more "well-off", however that isn't saying much since it is New Jersey, so everyone is going to be an ******* anyway.
$400K takes you much farther in Union City (and some of the towns to the north) than it will in most of Hoboken and Weehawken. You can look to invest in a house as well (many available in the $200-400k range).
Best areas of commute to the city (if you plan on taking the bus) would be ~31st and Bergenline. There is a light rail station on 48th street, which can take you to the Ferry. It can also take you to Hoboken and JC PATH trains. RT 495 (between 30th and 31st) is the throughway for the Lincoln Tunnel. Tons of buses, or if you are a masochist you can drive.
Shops/Bars - That's tricky. Yelp is going to be your friend here. There are a few bars and shops which cater towards the yuppie-ish crowd. There seem to be more going up, especially along Park Ave on the boarder with Weehawken. You said you are from Hoboken, so you might expect like a cupcake shop next to a sushi place next to Black Bear, next to a falafel joint next to another bar, etc. Union City isn't really "there" (yet?). The area is predominantly Hispanic, so you'll find tons of cheap, good Hispanic food (and lots of it). Hoboken, JC, and NYC are all very close by though. And, it's like under $20 to grab a cab from the PATH in Hoboken to anywhere in UC, which is a steal (given that's roughly 1 or 2 drinks in many upscale bars). It's nice too because if you take the light-rail to Hoboken, it drops you out by the good bars on Washington, so at the end of the night just walk to the PATH and there are always ~20 cabs lined up waiting for fares so no need to deal with parking or any of that jazz.
if you need a mover my girlfriend just used College Hunks Moving. They do a lot of work in Hoboken...CollegeHunks.com
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